Clumsy Ninja (Free) by NaturalMotion Games is a 3D interaction and sidescroller game, with various mini games and an intriguing story line. Because of it’s lovable animations and smooth gameplay, this app has ranked 14 in the top free apps column in the app store in its past 11 days of availability. Right from the get go, this game presents itself as a very well done app.

Upon first opening the app, you’re greeted by the sensei of the dojo, where your “clumsy ninja” is still in training. After learning that this particular ninja has a long way to go before he’s perfect, the sensei gives simple quests to the player to complete in order to get both experience to level up the ninja and the in game currency.

Later, your ninja explains to you that he misses his friend, Kira, very much, and wants to go visit her. But because your ninja is still, well, clumsy, he isn’t able to brave the Path of the Ninja to go on a visit yet. That’s where you come in.

Clumsy Ninja rewards you for all actions you perform in-game. Whether it’s picking your ninja up and tossing him around, or performing the sensei’s quests, everything gives you a little more experience to level your ninja up. Each time he levels up, the ninja makes a little more progression down the Path of the Ninja, the road he must take to see his friend Kira again.

After the initial story-line is presented, you get to interact with your ninja. By using your finger to hold your ninjas hand, blowing up balloons, and even help your ninja play mini games, you are rewarded more experience and in-game money. These interactions and combinations of entertainment limited only by the users imagination are what help earn this game’s ranking in the app store.

Sensei quests, as previously mentioned, are small objectives given by the sensei which are awarded upon completion with gold coins and experience points. Some of the earlier quests include picking up, tickling, and walking around your ninja. Later on, as the game complexes, the sensei requires mini games to be played and achievements to be reached in those mini games, all in an effort to prepare your ninja for the Path of the Ninja.

The in-game money comes in two forms; golden coins, which are easily earned, and gems, which are only earned one per level up, or can be bought with real money. Gems are not a necessity to a player’s experience with Clumsy Ninja, but do help speed up any aspects of the game that take recharging (such as mini game equipment) and unlock items before the level of the ninja required is achieved. Gold coins are used to buy items when your ninja is the appropriate level, and to buy other items that are used for the sensei’s quests. Gold coins are earned after performing a sensei quest and doing mini games, whereas gems are received only at leveling up your ninja when he has enough experience.

Aspects of customization and uniqueness present themselves later in the game, as opportunities to change your ninja’s accessory colors. When leveling up, every few levels gives you a new color of belt. After accessing the wardrobe on the left side of the screen (you must scroll all the way over), you are given the choice to change colors and garbs of your ninja, to personalize and make him truly yours. This feature of the game has presented several problems though, such as lag and the occasional crashing of the app, which is unfortunate.

Similar issues have been revealed in the rest of the game: basically more lag (extreme at times) and other crashing instances (when taking snapshots of your ninja). However, both of these issues are being resolved and have been resolved in the 1.2.2 update for Clumsy Ninja. The amounts of lag occurring depend on the latest version of the iOS programming for apple products. The later the version of iOS, the more lag. To even run the game, iOS 5 is required, which shouldn’t be an issue for too many devices. Another factor entering the equation for lag is the device. On older devices, the game doesn’t run as well, because Clumsy Ninja was optimized, or runs best, by it’s creators for the iPhone 5.

Ultimately, Clumsy Ninja by NaturalMotion provides a game rich with physical interactions and imagination which has attracted thousands of players. Although not without minor problems, Clumsy Ninja has definitely been a game long awaited for and long to be played. And as the few issues of Clumsy Ninja are addressed, more and more people will be drawn into the marvelous world of their very own clumsy ninja.

BY: JOEL TIMMS